NEW DELHI:
Left parties will soon take up the issue of relocation of slum-dwellers with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Talking to reporters, Left leaders along with the former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, said not much had been done in this direction in the past one-and-half years. "The National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) is clear on the issue of providing them alternative housing and is against forcible demolition," CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said.

Suggesting a national law to evolve a uniform policy on the issue, Mr. Singh said the United Progressive Alliance Government was committed to relocating the slum-dwellers but not much progress had been made so far. Slum-dwellers should only be displaced when the Government cleared the project and passed the budget, he said.